Insider Theft in PA Volunteer Fire Department

Posted by: Curt Varone May 2, 2011 4 Comments

Another volunteer fire department has been victimized by insider theft, this time to the tune of over $50,000. Ankur Patel, age 24, of the Rohrerstown Fire Company in Lancaster County, used a fire company credit card between July and December 2010 for personal expenses.

Patel was a live-in firefighter and had been with the company for approximately four years. It is the 54th case I have tracked since 2008 where a volunteer firefighter has stolen large sums of money from his/her organization. Most of the thefts were committed by a fire company treasurer, president, or chief. In this case, Patel was the Vice-President.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
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